COMEDY
BILL BAILEY: LARKS IN TRANSIT
★★★★
Hamer Hall, November 16-20
Even before becoming a TV star through cult sitcom Black Books, Bill Bailey had a sizeable following as a comedian here in Australia. And despite Black Books finishing up more than 12 years ago, the hirsute Englishman's popularity has clearly not dulled, with three nights of shows at the cavernous Hamer Hall.
![An accomplished musician, Bailey frequently rocks out on stage.](/web/20161203063912im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/g/2/j/o/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gsr9c0.png/1479425254972.jpg)
Although he's been performing on our shores for 20 years now, this was my first time seeing Bailey live. Though expectations were high, he did not disappoint.
Bailey is something of a comedic chameleon, not in a sense of acting or impersonation, but more in his ability to smoothly switch between styles and topics. Through his two-plus hour show, he switched from topical and political jokes to observational humour, absurd flights of fancy and the occasional musical interlude.
This latter form is one of the most impressive weapons in Bailey's comedic arsenal. Musical comedians are a dime a dozen but Bailey's incredible and diverse talent (he plays, variously, a piano, guitar, mandolin, theremin, wood block, cowbells, kick drum and more) allow him to do something few musical comedians can achieve – he makes the music itself funny, even without lyrics.
It can be as simple as changing the key of famous songs, or taking a ringtone and turning it into something far more grand.
His stand-up material ranges from the political (as you might expect, the US election and Brexit are both covered) to the observational, philosophical and the absurd. A long bit about an embarrassing meeting with Paul McCartney isn't really strong enough to deserve its place near the climax of the show, but Bailey's eloquence and turns of phrase carry him through.
To top it off, Bailey's one of the few modern comedians who avoids vulgarity or going dark for shock value (though there's the occasional brief bit of black humour). But far from lacking edge, it just means Bailey works harder, and smarter, rather than going for easy laughs.
Bailey's tour continues to Brisbane, November 22-25; Perth, November 27-28; Sydney, November 30-December 4; Newcastle, December 5; Wollongong, December 7; Canberra, December 8.